Apparatus for ascertaining weight of materials



1933- R. MCLAUGHLIN I APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING WEIGHT OF MATERIALSFiled Aug. 2, 1952 2 SheetsSheet 1 Dec. 19, 1933- R. MOLAUGHLINAPPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING WEIGHT OF MATERIALS Filed Aug. 2, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 2 v m 3 Q N w 3 i t an W9 Wm 4 UHF I I I I I IHHHHHHHHXWPatented Dec. 19,

r 1,940,057 V ,.APPABATUS ron ASCERTAINING WEIGHT r 'OFMATERIALS RobertMcLaughlin, Philadelphia, Pa. Application August 2, 1932. Serial l lo.627,281

-11 Claims. (01, 265-'52 f gin of error is, however, so small as to benegligible for all practical purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus ,of thecharacter describedwherein the tension of but a certain'predeterminedpro- 1Q portion of the entire loadwillbe imparted to the weightrecording means so that the latter need not beof such massive'chara'cter' as though the full tension was-imparted'thereto. .A furtherobject of the invention is to provide apparatus of the characterdescribed which will be possessed of but a minimumnurnb'er of parts andconsequent economy of manufacture.

With these and other objects in'view, as will hereinafter bemademanifest, the inventionre- 26 sides, in general, inthe manner ofoperation,

structural characteristics and combinations of elements illustrated inthe accompanying two sheets of drawings, described in the followingspecificationand specifically pointed out in the ap-' pended claims; I

- In the drawings, wherein likecharacters of reference indicate likeparts inthe several views,

Figure 1' is a side elevation, somewhat diagrammatic in nature, ofa'traveling crane and attendant weight indicating apparatus constructedin accordance with and embodying the principles of this invention; V

. Figure? is aside elevation, on a larger scale, I of theweight'indicating apparatus shown in Figure1'; 1

Figure 3 is avertical section on the line III-III oIFigure2; Figure 4 isa view similar to Figure '2, bothlustrating a modification ofthe'invention; and,

18c! atrolley 1'7:

" outer-"end, in acr'ank handle- 31'.

, mo'Fixedly mounted upon theface of the frame Figure 5 is anexaggerated diagrammatic viewv are manipulated to bring the load to apoint in Suspended from the bridge 14 at a point ta jacenti one end ofthe same is-the customary operators cage 18, and mounted upon andcarried by the trolley 17, in the usual manner, is

a winding drurn19 for-a suspension cable 20. so- The' ways in which thebridge, the trolley and the drum are contr'olled and operated from theoperators cage form no part of this invention andno effort is madetoward illustration oi the same.-x3 a a 5 Secured to the lower end ofthe suspension cable 20 is a suspension block 21 and pivotally mountedto this block, at 22, is a hook 23 for engagement with the crane load. jWhile this lead .may be orany nature, such as a pot'or ladle 1') for thereception and transportation of molten metal, a casting, -a piece ofmachinery", or any other article of a kind adaptedto' be handled by atraveling crane, itis merely conventionally indicated ,at 24,=in thedrawings, for the purpose of illustration. a

Rigidly isecured to one of the side pillars 10, is a frame 25, in whichis slidably mounted-a hollowyblock-26 and slidably mounted in thelatter'is-"a cross-head 2}1. Revolvably secured to the outer face of theblock '26 is the head 28 of a screw stem 29, which passes through andisthreadedly engaged within a bearing 30' formed on the frame 25' and.which 'terminates,'- at its Inwar'tlly projecting from the cross heafd;2'1 is a rod 3'2, to the inner end of which is, i 'vfitally mounted, asat 33, one endoi a link 34-, the other end oi which is provided with ahook 35 adapted to be engaged with the-pivot pin 22 of the suspensionblock 21. 'Interposed between the inner face of the" cross-head 27 andthe corresponding innerface" of the hollow block 26 andsurrounding' therod 32, is acoiled spring 36'. l r

96 25 3s an indicator 3-1 adapted'to cooperatewith 'a similar indicator38,; whichis fixedly mounted upon the face of; the block 26, andfixedlymountr ed upon the cross-head 2'7 is an indicator 39 adapted tocooperate with apounda'ge scaled upon the face of the block 26. f

'Projectinglaterally from the inner and outer members of thehollow block26 are sightalig'ning pins-41 and projecting laterally from thesuspension block 2 1, at a point above the pivot pin 22,'is asimilarsight aligning pin- 42.

flheoperation of the apparatus isas 'follows:

It is desired to ascertain the approximate weight of the load 24. Thebridge and trolley line with the weight indicating means upon the pillar10. The suspension cable drum is then operated to so raise or lower theload that the sight pin 42 is brought into horizontal alignment with thetwo sight pins 41, this condition being ocularly determined by theoperator sighting along the line of the two pins 41. With the parts inthis position, the length of the suspension cable 20 is definitelyknown. The hook 35 of the link 34 is then engaged with the pivot pin 22of the suspension block 21 and the crank arm 31 is rotated, feeding thescrew stem 29 through the bearing 30 and retracting the hollow block 26in the frame until the indicator 37 is in line with the indicator 38.This swings the load 24 to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure1 with the suspension cable 20 pulled to an angle from the vertical.Inasmuch as the amount of retraction of the block 26 to insure registryof the indicators 37 and 38 has been predetermined, the degree ofdeparture from the vertical by the suspension cable 20 is now known.

It is to be understood that, as the hollow block 26 isretracted in theframe 25, theweight of the load has exerted a longitudinal pull upon thelink 34 and rod 32 with consequent inward movement of the cross-head 27,against the pressure of the spring 36, within the hollow block 26 andconsequent movement of the indicator 39 along the face of the poundagescale 40. With the parts at rest in their thus attained positions, theindicated poundage reading is taken from the scale 40 and this, inconnection with the other known factors, may be resolved into theapproximate weight of the load 24 by a sim-, ple mathematicalcalculation.

For example, and with especial attention to Figure 5, let it be assumedthat, with the parts in initial positions, the distance from thesuspension point A to the laterally swinging point B (the length of thesuspension cable .20 to the pivot pin 22) is sixty inches. It is desiredto cause the cable to be swung ten degrees from the vertical. Todetermine the necessary retraction of the block 26 to effect this,the'sine of 10,,which is .17364, is reckoned for sixty inches. Thiscalculation produces 10.419 inches, which is substantially 104% inches.Hence, it is necessary that the retraction be such that when theindicators 37 and 38 are in registry, the distance along the chord at aright angle to the vertical from the initial line A-B to the point C (towhich the pivot pin 22 is pulled) be 104% inches. 'I'hisispredetermined, and proper adjustment is initially positioned. Theindicated poundage reading is now taken on the scale 40. Let it beassumed that this reading is one thousand two hundred six pounds.Inasmuch as the angle B A C is known as 10 and the right angle betweenthe line A B and the established chord is 90, the angle between the lineA C and the established chord must necessarily be The poundage readingof 1206 is now multiplied by the tangent of 80, which is 5.67128, andtheproduct, 6839.56368, is the approximate weight, in pounds, of the load24.

It is, of course, obvious that by varying the length of the link 34, theapparatus may be adapted for use when the trolley 17 is disposedotherwise than centrally upon the bridge 14, as, for instance, againsteither of the stops 15*, see Figure 1.

Other variations in construction readily suggest themselves. Forinstance, the retraction of the hollow block 26 in the frame 25 might beeffected electrically rather than manually. In this case, constructionsuch as illustrated in Figure 4 could be adopted. In this modifiedstructure, the screw stem is eliminated and a cable 43, fast to theouter face of the hollow block 26, passes about a drum 44 mounted on ashaft 45, which may be rotated by means of an electric motor 46 throughthe interposition of a worm 47 on the motor shaft 48 and intermeshingworm wheel 49 on the drum shaft 45.

Many other modifications will as quickly suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art, and it is to be understood that all such arecontemplated as forming a part of this invention insofar as they fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A load weighing apparatus, comprising supporting means to freely andpendulously suspend said load at rest to the action of gravity from asingle fixed point at a predetermined distance from said load, means forlaterally displacing in a vertical plane said pendulously suspended loadthrough an arc of a circle of predetermined angular degree, and forcemeasuring means cooperating with said displacing means.

2. A load weighing apparatus, comprising supporting means to freely andpendulously suspend said load at rest to the action of gravity from asingle fixed point at a predetermined distance from said load, means fordirectly engaging the lower extremity of said supporting means tolaterally displace in a vertical plane said suspended load through anarc of a circle of a predetermined angular degree, and force measuringmeans in:

terposed between said supporting means and load displacing means todetermine the pull exerted to sustain said load in its displacedposition.

3. A load weighing apparatus, comprising means for pivotally, pending aload, a fixedly mounted frame, a member adjustable in respect to saidframe, load engaging means slidably mounted on said member, and forceindicating meanscooperating therewith and disposed laterally of saidload to displace the same upwardly in an are about the pivot from whichit is suspended.

' 4. A load weighing apparatus, comprising means for pivotally,vertically and freely suspending a load, a fixedly mounted frame, amember adjustable in respect to said frame, means for adjusting thesame, load engaging means slidably mounted on said member, and forceindicating means cooperating therewith and disposed laterally of saidload to displace the same upwardly in an arc about the pivot frompended.

5. A load weighing apparatus, means for pivotally,

which it is suscomprising vertically and freely suspending a load, afixedly mounted frame, a load measuring means adjustably mounted thereonand disposed laterally of said load, and load engaging means attached tosaid load measuring means to displace said load upwardly in an arc aboutthe pivot fromwhich it is suspended.

6. A load weighing apparatus, comprising means for pivotally, verticallyand freely suspending a load, a fixedly mounted frame, a spring scaleadjustably mounted thereon and disposed laterally of; said load, meansfor adjusting the same,'and load engaging means attached to said springscale to displace said load upwardly in an are about the pivot fromwhich it issuspended.

7. A load weighing apparatus, comprising means for pivotally, verticallyand freely suspendvertically and freely susing aload, a fixedly mountedframe, a hollow block slidable thereon, load engaging means slidable insaid hollow block disposed laterally of said load to displace the sameupwardly man are about the pivotfrom which it is suspended, yield ingmeans acting upon said load engaging means and urging it in onedirection, and force indicating means cooperating therewith.

8. A load weighing apparatus, comprising means for pivotally,verticallyand freely suspend means for pivotally, vertically and freely sus--pending a load, a fixedly mounted frame, ahollow block slidable thereon,a cross-head slidable in said hollow block, yielding means for urgingsaid cross-head in one direction, means for connecting saidcross-head'with the load disposed laterally of said load to displace thesame upwardly in anaro I about the pivot from which it is suspended, a

graduated scale on said hollow block, and a co operating indicator onsaid cross-head. 10. A load weighing apparatus, comprising ,means forpivotally, vertically and freely suspending a load, a fixedly mountedframe, a hollow block slidable thereon, means for adjusting the relationtherebetween, a cross-head slidable in saidhollow block, yielding meansfor urging said cross-head in one direction, means for connecting saidcross-head with the load disposed laterally of said load to displace thesame upwardly in an are about the pivot from which it is suspended, agraduated scale on said hollow block, and a cooperating indicator onsaidcross-head.

11. A load. weighing apparatus, comprising means for pivotally,vertically and freely suspending a load, force indicating means providedwith sight aligning meansthereon for insuring proper positioning-of thesame in respect to the load, and

with said load and disposed laterally of said load to displace the sameupwardly in an are about the pivot from which it is suspended.

ROBERT McLAUGHLIN.

, means for connecting said force indicating means

